Stabilizing device



May 7, 1940.

G. z. VON MANTEUFFEL y STABILIZING DEVICE Filed Nov; 24, i957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1l /r/vebzfof:

May 7, 1940 G. -z. vN MANTEUFFEL l l 2.200.196

STABILIZING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, '1937 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 wwf I true vertical represented by the gyro I6.

Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED "STATES s'rABILizING DEVICE Gert lZoege von Manteuffel, Berlin-Dahlem, Gel'- many, assignor Vto Askania-Werke A. G., a cor' poration of Germany Application November 24, 1937, Serial No. 176,396 w In Germany November 25, 1936 4 5 Claims.

This invention relates to-stabilizing devices.

l It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and reliable apparatus capable of exerting considerable forces for maintaining bodies 5 mounted on a movable base, for example optical instruments mounted on craft, in a predetermined relative position with respect to an absolute-direction, such as the true horizontal or vertical.

1 It is a further object of this invention to provide a stabilizing device in which a stable control is effected without the use of a follow-up connect on.

Further aims, objectsand advantages of this u invention will appear from a consideration of the description which follows with the accompanying drawings showing for purely illustrative purposes embodiments of this invention. It is to be understood, however, that the description is ,o not to be taken in a limiting sense, the rscope of thisl invention being dened in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

. Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a devicel for u stabilizing bodies about one axis.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of some elements of Fig. 1, a section being taken on line 2 2.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1.

'n Fig. v4 is a plan view, partly in section, of a device for stabilizing bodies about two axes.

Fig. 5 isa sectional elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken u on line 3-3 of Fig. 5. i

. Bearings I and II are mounted on a base plate I2 for rotatably supporting trunnions I3 and I4 of a support I5 which is to be stabilized against movements of the base I2 about the axis o 4-4 defined by the pivots I3 and I4.

A standard of.direction, in the illustrated embodiment a gyro vertical I6 is mounted so that deviations vof the support I5 about the pivotal axis l4-4 may be determined with respect to] the For this purpose the gyroscope is mounted in the embodiment on the support I5.` The gyro casing I6 is mounted in a gimbal ring' I8 in pivots indicated at I1.v The gimbalring, in turn, is mounted 5; in antifriction bearings I9 and 20 for freedom about an axis .disposed at right angles to the gimbal axis I1 and parallel to the axis 4-4 of the support.

In the illustrated embodiment the 4gyroscope uis shown to be ofthe air driven type. Air under (Cl. 74A-5) pressure is supplied to the device through a conduit 2| terminating in a bore 22 of the pivot, I3. From the bore 22 the air is conducted through a-pipe 23 into a central bore 2 4 of the bearing 20 -communicating with a channel 25 in 5 the gimbal ring I8 whence it reaches the interior of Vthe gyro casing I6 in a conventional manner `through a hollow pivot I1.

For deriving a stabilizing impulse in response to angular deviations of the support I5 with re- 10 spect to the gyro vertical a cam disk 26 is secured to the gimbal ring I8.` rIfhe disk 26 is provided with a curved slot 21 in whicha pin-shaped end of a rod 28 is guided for actuating a relay. In the illustrated embodiment a pressure fluid relay of the well-known Askania jet-pipe type is employed comprising a jet-pipe 29 mounted for pivotal move-ment in bearings 30 and 3l and suitably counter-balanced by an adjustable weight 32. The jet-pipe is supplied with pressure fluid through a hollow pivot 33 of the bearing 30 connected to the supply pipe 23 and issues a jet of pressure fluid into' reception orifices 34 and 35 depending upon the relative position of the jet-pipe and the orifices. u

Upon a relative displacement from the normal position of the gimbal ring I8 and the support I5 about. the axis 4,-4 the disk will be turned in one direction or the other 'causing the pin 28 to be moved in axial direction relatively to the disk 26 into the inner or outer concentric parts of the slot 21. The inner and outer concentric parts of. the slot 21 are radially spaced from each other to permit the jet-pipe to' be moved into bothv extreme positions in which the jet-pipe 35 registers with one or the other of the reception orifices 34 and 35. In this manner a differential pressure will be createdin conduits` 36 and 31 connected to .the reception orifices 34 and 35 which is a function of the relative angular dis- 4o placement of the support I5 and the gyroscope I6. The conduits 36 and 31 terminate in concentric channels 38 and 39 ofthe pivot I4 communicating with stationary pipes 40 vand 4I. The

-pipes 40 and 4I lead to a servo-motor including 45 f a cylinder 42 and a piston 43 movable therein.

^ The piston 43 is connected to a crank 44 turning a toothed segment 45 meshing with a pinion 46. 'I'he pinion 46 is secured to or integral with the trunnion I4 for turning the support I5 relatively 50 to the base I2.

The oper'ation of the device shown in Fig. 1 is as follows: A

It may be assumed that the base I2 is mounted to move with a ship, while an optical instrument u is carried by the support 5 for the purpose of becoming stabilized against inclinations of the ship with regard to the .axis 4 4. yWhen the ship becomes inclined, it tends to move the support l5 with it, thereby displacing the support relatively .to the gyro vertical. After ari almost imperceptible displacement the relay 29 becomes actuated and causes the servo-motor 43, 42 to turn the gear 45, 46 for moving the support into alignment with the gyro vertical. Accordingly, an instrument mounted on the support remains unaected by movements of the ship about or parallel to the axis 4 4.

Instead of mounting the body to be stabilized on the support proper it `may be movably mounted spaced from the support and actuated from the latter by means of 'a suitable motion transmitting connection,`a lug 41 being provided in. the illustrated example for this purpose.

By experiments it was found that no reaction will be exerted by the relay on the gyro vertical, when that section of the curved slot, which connectsthe inner and outer concentric sections is approximated disposed in a radial direction with regard to the pivotal axis of the jet-pipe, when the jet-pipe is in the neutral position in which an equal pressure is created in reception orifices 34 and 35.

In Figs. 4 to 6 a device is shown for stabilizing objects about two axes normal to each other. In these drawings all details not necessary for an understanding of'the arrangement of the principal elements have been omitted for the sake of clearness, it being understood that constructional details of the apparatus may be designed according to the disclosure of Figs. lto 3.

The base plate ||2 carries bearings ||0 and for supporting an'outer gimbal ring |50 about an axis 4 5. A support ||5 is mounted on the outer /gimbal ring |50 for movement about an axis 5 5. A gyro vertical I5A is mounted on the support ||5 in pivots ||1 of a gimbal ring I I8, the latter being mounted on the support proper in glmbals H9 and |20. The axis defined by .the latter gimbals is arranged parallel with the axis 5 5 of the outer gimbal ring |50. Disks |5| and |52 are secured to theaxes and |20 of the gyroscope and the inner gimbal ring, respectively, forl actuating relays |53 and |54. Servo-motors |55 and |55 are controlled by the relays |52 and |53 for moving the support about the axes 5 5 and 4 4, respectively.

The servo-motor |55 is for this purpose connected by means of a link |51 to a rigid arm |58 on the outer gimbal ring |50, thereby causing a movement of the support I5 about the axis 5 5.

The second servo-motor |56 controlled by the relay is connected by means of a link |59 to an angle lever |50 pivoted at |6| and provided withy a roller |62 bearing against a rail |63. A second lever |50 also pivoted at |'6| and provided with a roller |52' is connected with the angle lever |50 by means of a spring |54.

When the servo-motor |55 is actuated, the

' levers |60 and |50' will be turned about the axis I MJthei-.eby causing the support I5 to be tilted abot`tli'e'axis 4 4. When at the same time the servo-motor |55 is actuated, the rollers |52 and |52' will travel on the rail |53 causing necessary adjustment about the axis 4 4 without impeding the movement about the axis 5 5.

Obviously the present invention is. not restricted to the particular embodiments herein shown and described. Moreover it is not indispensable that Y all the features of this invention be used conjointly, since they may advantageously be em ployed in various combinations and subcombinations. r

What is claimed is:

1. stabilizing device comprising, in combination, a free gyroscope mounted with neutral equilibriumv in gimbal suspension for movement about two normally horizontal axes, means for keeping the rotor spin axis in the true vertical, a housing enclosing the gyroscope and its suspension, a pair of journals at said housing in line withthe major gimbal axis, a jet-pipe mounted for movement in accordance with the movementsof the gyroscope about said major gimbal axis, means for supplying pressure-fluid to said jet pipe, re-

-tion, a free gyroscope mounted with neutral equilibrium in a gimbal ring for movement about two axes normally at right angles to the rotor spin axis, a housing enclosing the gyroscope and said ring, a pair of journals at said housing par-- allel to the major gimbal axis, a cam disc secured tothe gimbal ring, a slot in said disc consisting of two concentric parts with diierent radii of curvature and an interconnecting part, comprising a .fraction of the total steering angle, a. pin engaging said slot, a jet pipe connected to said pin and moved by said disc when the gyroscope tilts about said major gimbal axis, means for supplyingl pressure-fluid to said jet pipe, reception oricesvopposite thereto attached to said housing, and a uid operated servo-motor connected to'said orifices for turning said housing about its journals to follow the relative movements of the gyroscope, thereby keeping the housing stabilized and adapted to take up reactive loads without disturbance of the gyroscope.

3. stabilizing device comprising, in vcombination, a base, a supporting frame journalled on said base for movement about a normally horizontal rst axis, a housing journalled in said frame for movement about a normally horizontal second axis at right angles to saidv lrst axis, a gyroscope mounted Within said housing with neutral equilibrium in. gimbal suspension for freedom about two axes parallel to said rst and second axis, respectively, means for keeping the rotor spin axis in the true vertical, two jet pipes each mounted for movement in accordance with the movements of the gyroscope about the corresponding gimbal axis, means for supply-ing pressure-iiuid to said jet pipes, reception orifices opposite thereto attached to said housin'g, and two fluid operated servo-motors connected to said orices for turning said housing about said first and second axis to follow the relative movements of the gyroscope, thereby keeping the housing staanodine agyroscope in neutral equilibrium carried by said ring, means for keepingthe rotor spin axis in the true vertical, two cam discs one on each of said gimbal pivots, two jet pipes each actuated by a cam disc for being movedin accordance with the movement'of the gyroscope about the correoperated servo-motors connected to said orifices for turning said housing about said first and second axis to follow the relative movements of the gyr'scope, thereby keeping the housing stabilized and adapted to take up reactive loads 'with` out disturbance of the gyroscope.v

5.,Stabilizing device comprising, in combina'- ltion, a base, a supporting frame journalied on said base for movement about a normally horizontal first axis, a housing journalled in said frame for movement about a normally horizontal second axis at rightangles to saidflrst axis, a gyroscope mounted within said housing with neutral equilibrium in gimbal suspensionfor freedom about two axes parallel to said rst and second axis, respectively, meansv for keeping the rotor spin axis in the true vertical, a first jet-pipe connected to be controlled by the gyroscope upon tilt ofthe housing about said first axis,` a first pair of reception orifices attached to the housing opposite said first jet pipe, a first fluid operated servo-motor mounted on said housing and communicating with said first pair of reception orifices for turning. the housing about said first axis, a rail mounted on said base parallel to said rst v-axis, means for guiding the movable part of the servo-motor on said rail to give the housing freedom to rock about said second axis, a second jet pipe connected to be' controlled by the gyroscope upontilt of the housing about said second axis,v a second pair of reception orifices attached to the housing opposite said second jet pipe, a second iiuid operated servo-motor mounted on said housing and communicating with said second pair of reception orifices for turning the housing about said second axis the movable part of the servo-motor being connected to said frame, and means for supplying pressure-fluid to said jet-pipes.

4 GERT ZOEGE VON MANTEUFFEL. 

